Staying healthy is one of the biggest themes of 2020. Everywhere we go, no matter what we are doing, our health is the first thing on our mind. Now, months into the pandemic, we are subconsciously keeping ourselves safe by putting on our mask, stealing a pump of hand sanitizer when we enter a new building, and by keeping a little extra distance than normal from the person ahead of us in the check-out line.
New phrases are brought up often in this uncertain time, including people with “compromised immune systems” or “immunocompromised”. Many people believe people who fall under that category are limited to chemo patients, the older community, or anyone who is on a medicine that weakens their immune system. Just because you are ‘healthy’ doesn’t mean you are safe, but we know this. We also know if there is that one week during the year we ALWAYS get sick, or if we can get through cold and flu season without a hitch. You know your body better than anyone else, and though there is no short-term super food to improve your immune system, there are plenty of foods that can help your immunity over time.
Zinc: Zinc is needed for immune cell development as well as helping with healing wounds. These foods include lean meats, seafood, milk, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts. Grass-fed beef and lamb are two of the best sources of zinc.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C protects cells from producing infections or inflammation. We know that oranges are a great source of Vitamin C, but so is broccoli, cantaloupe, kale, and tomatoes.
Iron: Iron aids in the body’s first line of defense. Iron is in lentils, spinach, tofu, and white beans. This is a little harder to get into our everyday diet but there are plenty of recipes to sneak spinach or lentils into a delicious meal.
Vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 supports efficient reactions between the different parts of our immune system. Vitamin B6 is in green vegetables, chickpeas, tuna or salmon.
As always, eating a balanced, colorful diet is going to help you feel better and stay healthy. Challenge yourself to adding a few more of these foods into your diet, there are plenty to chose from above, and those are just a few examples. Eating food good for you can be delicious as well.